The new modular coating thickness measurement system Coating Check based on the innovative technology of the QNix® system from AUTOMATION Dr. Nix GmbH, Cologne guarantees variable and versatile use for the most different application areas of TÜV SÜD, Germany – also outside the usual field of application in the motorcar area. The system automatically recognizes the surface – for instance steel sheet or aluminium – on which lacquer or anti-corrosion protection is measured and determines the coating thickness precisely and safely up to fractions of a millimetre exact. By means of a simple change of probes only one device is necessary to non-destructively measure the different coating thicknesses of lacquer and anti-corrosion protection coatings on steel, iron, and non-iron metals within measuring range of up to 5000 µm (1µm = 1 micrometre = one thousandth of a millimetre). The measuring data can be transmitted, individually evaluated and documented for specific types of applications using special software. For legal opinions, damage assessment and appraisals such a complete documentation can be of particular importance. The most exceptional fact of Coating Check TÜV SÜD is however the possibility to meet the demands of each individual measuring task in a highly flexible and safe manner using only one device. This innovative measurement technology and its high precision is based on the proven easy-to-use and reliable technology of the established company AUTOMATION Dr. Nix GmbH, Cologne with its clear commitment to “Made in Germany”. “Our understanding of premium quality means for us”, a representative of the company explained, “that we develop and manufacture our products and systems in Germany exclusively to ensure the convenience of our customers world wide.”

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German TÜV uses the new measurement system Coating Check.
Technical precision and reliability in the damage assessment and automobile expert opinions providing a high degree of safety for customers of the German TÜV SÜD.

Each Year the damage caused by car accidents amounts to billions.
About four million times each year car accidents happen on German roads. Moreover, the police recorded only 2.23 million accidents in 2006 the so-called “minor damages” amount to millions as well. In most cases, insurance companies have to pay for these damages. In total, the damage and accident insurance carriers paid about 8.7 million euros for damages covered by vehicle insurance and 7.7 million euros for insurance payments resulting from third-party-liability, accident and defence insurers claims.

Where millions are involved, safety must be assured
For all involved the German TÜV SÜD (one of several German technical monitoring associations) ever since one of the foremost addresses regarding objective investigation of damage, vehicle appraisals, repair and motorcar expert opinions within the used-car and car-leasing businesses or in cases of legal disputes. Trusting the competence of the TÜV SÜD engineers also means trusting the safety and reliability of the latest technology. The use of innovative state-of-the-art technology in damage management is an example of that trust. Therefore, TÜV SÜD in collaboration with the AUTOMATION Dr. Nix GmbH, Cologne one of the leading manufacturers of lacquer coating measurement gauges in Germany developed a new future-oriented measurement sy

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Steel - advantages and disadvantages
By providing excellent stability, malleability and plasticity as well as high durability, steel proved of value as a material over the years. Seventy percent of the production volume is used for building long-lasting constructions such as bridges, energy generating and energy conduction plants, halls, transportation, machines and appliances.
These diverse advantages however are opposed by one indisputable disadvantage: steel corrodes! Alloys or anti-corrosion protection however can adjust for this.
Coating materials protect against corrosion
Passive anti-corrosion protection requires the application of organic or inorganic coating material. Inorganic protection coatings are mostly manufactured using divers galvanising procedures. Impermeability against affecting media is essential to the protective function of the used coating material. Pores can lead to sub-surface corrosion and the destruction of the coating.
Therefore, several coatings are applied to ensure a lasting protection of steel constructions. In addition to the attentive selection of adequate coating, material the quality of the coating process is of crucial importance for the durability of the applied layers.
Anti-corrosion protection provides safety against damages amounting to billions.
The cost of anti-corrosion protection is, compared to a possible obsolescence of constructions and the additional cost caused by down time, usually very low. In the USA for instance the primary and secondary annual total cost including subsequent damage caused by corrosion (e.g. breaking of a transmission line lattice mast and the resulting power outage) are numbered to amount to 70 billion US-Dollars.
Due to the enormous importance of anti-corrosion protection to economy and business the safe completion and inspection of coating is subject to numerous rules and regulations.
DIN-standards for inspection of coating thickness increase safety.
As safety and security of large steel constructions are of such importance, the DIN EN ISO 12944 Part 7 “Corrosion protection of steel structures by paint systems - execution and supervision of coating work” explicitly specifies under sub-section 6.3 the use of magnetic inductive or eddy-current measurement devices for the inspection of coating thickness.
In praxis, anti-corrosion protection measurement devices prove to be of particular advantage when easy-to-calibrate and safely-to-use. State-of-the-art wireless measurement devices transmitting measurement data without interruption via radio offer additional safety.
Wireless coating thickness measurements with the worldwide new radio-controlled probe
QNix® Keyless gauges stood their test on steel constructions such as lattice masts and antennae where coating thickness can only be measured when climbing. The extremely small measuring probes of the modular measurement system QNix® 8500 allow for free movement and safe undisturbed measurements thanks to the hand-strap attached to the probe.

Furthermore, the radio-controlled probe QNix® 8500 sat allows, for the first time, wireless transmission of measurement data to a basis station on the ground for convenient checking without error, recording and documentation of the received data. Thus the world-wide new radio-controlled probe from AUTOMATION Dr. Nix transmits, for instance data measured in the great height of an energy mast safely and without interference to a basis device 50 meters distant – a notebook or a computer with witch thousands of measurements can be processed and documented using EXCEL.

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